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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

(Cardinal Couple columnist Sandy gets out the Tide, Spray and Wash and Woolite...it's laundry day here at the C.C. She is pictured below on the left...she and Sonja patiently posing for another Paul camera-phone picture ).

Yes, I know it is laundry day, literally as my washer has been performing its duties since early this morning but as we all know that in most any task it takes the whole team for a success to occur. This morning both my dryer, as well as my laptop, are straining to perform as needed so both the literal laundry and the women's latest news tasks are suffering. Thanks for bearing with me.

OLYMPIC BASKETBALL

This week, no one has been without a huge variety of choices of sporting events to view, including women’s basketball, as the Olympics are in full swing. Geno Auriemma, as coach of the U.S. basketball team (that is United States -- not UConn team) was reminded of the team concept in the opening match as the Americans struggled early against Croatia until Louisville and Atlanta Dream star Angel McCoughtry

was brought off the bench to help overcome sloppy play and spark a struggling US team to a commanding win with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and a blocked shot in just over 11 minutes of play.

Monday night play saw Angel score 10 points, 2 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in 18 minutes of play in the US win over Angola. (Editor note: The stat line says two steals, I say three.)

Tomorrow, August 1 at 10:15 PM against Turkey will be the next game in their Group A, game 30 match play.

As much as some other teams would love to fuel the gossip columns and blogs with tales of Jeff Walz’s impending jump to another team we are happy to inform you of your future disappointment.

University of Louisville AD Jurich appears to have taken the pro-active route and approached Jeff concerning a contract extension which has been agreed to by all parties. Reports are that 2 years have been added to Jeff’s existing 5 year contract which will keep him in Cardinal red through at least the 2018-2019 season. Other details are not known at this time beyond the inclusion of reported financial incentives which occur for his fulfilling extended periods of the contract which is great news for all of the Cardinal faithful.

( Editor note: Coach Walz recently told CARDINAL COUPLE that he is "pleased and excited" about the extension and his goal continues to be bringing a national championship to the Ville)

WNBA TO LOUISVLLE

Under the heading of day dreaming…

It appears that the Seattle Storm are having some difficult negotiations with their city regarding the building of a facility and what contributions the city will make for the teams presence.

If things don’t work out for you in Seattle – Storm President and CEO Karen Bryant...

You should come check out Louisville where the benefits of a city having a professional team here during the summer would be a great benefit to the city and fill the empty gap the Louisville basketball faithful feel during the summer months.

Can you imagine the attendance with Angel and other UofL greats playing their professional careers locally?Just a thought...

( Another great column today by Sandy! As we end the month of July, the writers at CARDINAL COUPLE are gearing up for the first month of UofL women's fall sports. We promise in-depth and comprehensive coverage of all activities and we appreciate you reading CARDINAL COUPLE!!)

I just might need a tour guide or map when Churchill Downs opens for its fall meet in late October. Churchill has announced changes in gathering spaces and room that will start renovation in early August.

- Champions Lounge, the second floor club where I've spent a lot of time over the past several years, will now be the track's main Gold Room...which moves from the 6th. floor, where it was next to the media center. The Champions Room has been so many things over the past several years...whether being a Gold Room will work or not is debatable. Still no bathrooms in there.

- The Mansion replaces the Media Center and Gold Room on the 6th floor. It's billed as a "spectacular new venue that will meld the legendary past of the historic track with an exciting future to provide a lavish ambiance, panoramic views andunprecedentedlevels of personalized service, elegance and excitement." (We're guessing the $3 draft beer and hot dog Fridays won't make it up there)

- The Media Center is being moved from the 6th floor to the 1st. floor of the general offices, located by Gate 1 and the infield tunnel. From the grand view to the grandstands.

- The former Paddock Pavillion building will be razed and will become a open gathering space for patrons of the Derby and other social events throughout the year. Wonder if they'd let us set up a Cardinal Couple UofL Women's Sports Concierge kiosk there? Thought not...

All I want to know is what's the name of the room where the Pick4 plotters, daily handicappers and trifecta terrors are supposed to meet? It's sounding more and more like "the bricks".

It all about the benjamins, ladies and gentlemen. The decline of the Twin Spires Club unless you're wagering the income of a family of four, cut backs on giveaways and promotions (whatever happened to the Chili Cook-off?) and general indifference to the $2 regular bettor and attendee continues.

And they wonder why they can't get enough horses and trainers to run more than 4 days a week?

Churchill is spending $9 million dollars to fete the folks who attend four days a year (assuming they still are part of the Breeder's Cup rotation down the road.)

Looking at the "regular fan-friendly" efforts of Saratoga, Del Mar and Monmouth (none of which are CDI owned) and the successes there lead us to believe that Churchill is content to throw Ms. and Mr. Joe Public a bone occasionally (Downs after Dark) but if you aren't in a Armani suit, flying in on a Lear jet or throwing $100 dollar bills around like pennies...then try not to mess up the red carpet rolled out to the 1%

This goes way beyond a casino gambling issue. It's a corporation tailoring its' image to service greed. And, greed is good, according to Gordon Gekko.

Nevertheless, the fan's view must be told. Yes, we're still out there...decreasing in numbers, reeling with the changes. We may be war-torn Poland in this latest Churchill blitzkrieg, but the fact of the matter is, it just doesn't matter.

We're only the other 99%.

I'd like to see a position created at Churchill. I'd name it Director of Average, Everyday Person Operations. I'd volunteer to be that director. At least the little guy would have someone to go to who would listen. Probably couldn't accomplish much, but at least they'd have an ear to bend.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Angel with 10 points and three steals as USA rolls past Angola 90-38. After a slow first quarter and only a 22-12 lead, Angel and company kicked it in gear and took a 41-18 lead at the half. 69-29 after three and a balanced scoring attack for Geno's ballers.

Three-point shooting still needs work, but an easy-as-expected romp to go to 2-0 in pool play.

Undefeated Turkey next on Wednesday.

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(David Watson is a special columnist for CARDINAL COUPLE. He'll be taking leave of us for awhile...as he explains in today's column.)

All good things come to an end.

I've had a great time writing for CARDINAL COUPLE over the last couple of years, but other things are calling...so, this will be the last chance you have to shake your head and wonder what this boy is thinking for awhile.

My oldest daughter Abby is enrolling in college this fall. Actually, she's already on campus and taking summer classes -- so she's already technically a freshman.

One down, two to go.

She fortunate enough to be attending on a couple of partial scholarships -- one for academics and one for field hockey. From what side of the family she got these special talents from to earn these honors is still up to debate -- but we're all proud of her.

Since it isn't UofL where she's matriculating, I have decided to follow the university where she's attending.

Might even start a website/blog about the trials and tribulations of her athletic and academic pursuits through the eyes of her father. Her mother and I plan on being active parents in any way we can toward the college and have already met several of the field hockey mom and dads.

If I do start a site, I'll insist Paul put me on the "Sites We Recommend" on the left side of the site. After all, the tremendous growth CARDINAL COUPLE has experienced was certainly spurred by my ground-breaking and thought-provoking articles, right?

I'll leave with a couple of parting comments.

First, I'll still be following the pursuits of the University of Louisville sports teams. Louisville looks to be very strong in quite a few different sports this upcoming season and I expect nothing less than conference titles from them in football, both basketball teams, volleyball and softball.

Tom Jurich has done a great job with facility building, coaching hires and creating excitement for the fans University of Louisville athletics. The University of Louisville seems committed to raising the academic bar as well. I truly hope that the recruits continue to be top-flight for the sports teams at UofL.

I can't help but wish my daughter had been talented enough to receive a scholarship offer from Louisville...but that's the way it goes and she's happy where she is.

Finally, I want to thank Paul and Sonja for letting me be a part of the CARDINAL COUPLE world. I know there have been times when readers have disagreed with me and taken a different viewpoint. The way I see it is that if everyone share the same viewpoint, it would be a pretty boring world. Several people can look at the same event and have a different viewpoint on it. I've tried to express my views with you, the CARDINAL COUPLE readers, and I appreciate the chance to do so.

Not to worry, you've still got quite a few excellent writers here at CARDINAL COUPLE to keep you informed on the joy and excitement that is UofL women's sports. I've enjoyed reading articles by Jenny, Sandy, Mark and the co-owners of the site -- Paul and Sonja. I never got to meet the first three mentioned above, but feel like I know them from their writings.

Paul has encouraged me to pop in from time-to-time with a column and I've promised him I'll try, so maybe this isn't a final farewell, but a "till we meet again" goodbye.

Anyway -- it's been fun and I'll be reading, so keep the bar high in your coverage, comments and details of one of the best sports programs in college athletics.

-- David.

(We wish David all the best and thank him for his coverage these past couple of years! We know he and Cheryl will be great college parents.)

*******************************************

The Chick-Fil-A drama is heating up on the UofL campus and we've received several e-mails about it so we'll take a little time today to discuss it.

We'll go on record by saying that we like the tasty Chick-Fil-A sandwich and UofL was supplying these to the media earlier this year during the softball tournament. I suppose they were donated by the restuarant or maybe purchased...we're not sure, but they seemed to disappear pretty quickly.

I remember eating mine next to Courier-Journal sports writer C.L. Brown a few innings before Louisville won the game against Valparaiso in dramatic fashion when Alicja Wolny cleared the right-field fence with a base clearer. If I knew she was going to provide such a dramatic ending to the game, I might have asked for two sandwiches and saved one for her.I don't know if this would have been considered an NCAA violation or whether she likes chicken sandwiches or not. I might have even eaten both sandwiches. I'll ask her at the start of softball season.

The recent statements by the owner of Chick-Fil-A have drawn considerable scrutiny because of the content. Seems he's in favor of traditional marriage and some other situations that have angered the gay and lesbian community. Thus, a boycott has been called and UofL's president James Ramsey and other UofL administration personnel have stated that they'll no longer eat at the campus location.

I'm trying to cut down on fast food, too. It's worked, I'm now at 192 lbs. and two summers ago I tipped the scales at 240.

I don't attribute all the weight loss to cutting back on fast food. But, I've stopped drinking soft drinks also. Switched to a low carb, light beer. Started walking more. Ride my bicycle 3-4 times a week. I can tell you my knees feel a whole lot better without the extra 48 pounds.

I still crave fast food, I just don't indulge in it as much. I'm guessing Teena Murray, Director of Sports Performance at UofL would be proud. I've never talked at length with her, but we did an article on her awhile back and I know she tries to get the players to eat healthy.

I do like the Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich, though, so the moral dilemma begins. Do I join the UofL boycott of the restaurant or give in to my taste buds and still occasionally treat myself to one of their sandwiches?

I may still get a sandwich occasionally but I will try not to be happy about it. Until that first bite. Then again, I've heard Zaxby's and Wendy's have a pretty good chicken sandwich also. I may have to investigate.

Maybe one of our sponsors, Panera Bread, will invite me over to sample their chicken offerings. I'm about out of cinnamon raisin bread, so that would work...

We live in a country that gives us religious and social freedoms. We live in a country that protects us from oppression. We live in a country that allows entrepreneurial opportunities. We also live in a country where the media can make a big deal over chicken franchises.

Somewhere, Col. Sanders is rolling over in his grave, clutching his secret spices recipe tightly.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

(WE continue our series on the 2012-13 UofL women's basketball team roster with a look at the juniors. First up is wing Antonita Slaughter.)

The first thing you notice about Antonita "Nita" Slaughter is the vibrant smile that can light up a room. Easily one of the most recognizable Lady Cards, Nita seems to bound endlessly and effortlessly across the Cardinal Arena practice floor.

As you watch her, you notice that the threes she's arching toward the rim don't miss very often. The same practiced, controlled release...the high arch and perfect rotation. The ball dives through the net...only to be followed by another and another.

Is she the next long-distance gunslinger for UofL? The mad bomber from beyond the arc? The Becky Burke of the 2012-13 squad? Her past performances would indicate she's ready to fill the position. Becky Burke is gone and Slaughter will be counted on to provide long-rang aerial support for the Cards along with the Schimmel sisters and Tia Gibbs.

It's a role Nita is ready to fill.

Nita knew early in her high school days at Christian Academy in Louisville that red and black was the jersey she wanted to don when she attended college. Verballed to Louisville as a freshman. She started catching coaches' attention as a eighth grader at Shelby County High School, leading them to the Eighth Region title. At Christian Academy, she was the Seventh Region Player of the Year. An All-State First team selection. Ms. Kentucky Basketball candidate.

The Cards were getting a good one and the 6'1" wing ended her freshman year by leading the team in three-point percentage (39.4%). She drilled three treys against Southeast Missouri, Mississippi Valley State, Tennessee-Martin and Cincinnati.

Last season, the barrage continued. "Big Shot Nita" was third in three-pointers for UofL and saw her playing time almost double from the previous season. She was also fifth in rebounding for the Cards, proving that she wasn't just a shooter. A steady contributor off the bench for Coach Walz, she led Louisville in scoring in three games and in rebounding once.

Basketball is a tradition in the Slaughter family. Her father A.J. played. So did siblings Toni (for UofL 2006-07) and brother A.J. (WKU & EuroHoops in Belgium).

Jeff Walz will tell you that when Nita is "on" and has her confidence rolling, there isn't anyone who can match her "from the deep" on the team. Opposing coaches have her pegged as a long range shooter and leaving her open has made more than one coach shake their head in frustration and implore that someone get out there on her.

We'll tell you that she's one we'll be watching closely this season. She's got the skills to be a zone-buster. She possesses a serious shot-fake also and is deadly from the free throw line with a 75% career average.

She fits well into a Cardinal squad that has so many different weapons. The importance of a wing that can consistently fill up the net from beyond the arc is obvious. It's comparable to the speed-burner wide receiver in football that'll torch you for long yards if you leave him open.

We're not sure what type of wide receiver Nita would make. But we can tell you that the "distance" Nita possesses will make a lot of opposing coaches cross their arms in disgust and reach for the Rolaids this upcoming season.

Louisville has had a great tradition of three-point shooters over the years. Kristin Maddox, Sara Nord, Jill Morton, Misty Smith, Connie Neal, Brandie Radde, Becky Burke and Shoni Schimmel. Nita stands at the ready to join this elite "downtown" group.

Kurt Vonnegut wrote a book years ago called Slaughterhouse Five. Louisville has Slaughter (in the) House (For) Three and it's a best seller...

Thanks for spending part of your Sunday with Sonja. As we roll into August, we'll be picking up our coverage of Cardinal womens' sports live events with increased frequency.

I'll still devote my Sundays to the review and commentary of the UofL womens' basketball team roster. We've covered the seniors, one junior down and a couple to go. By the time we reach the freshmen...basketball season will be very, very close and that's a good thing!

University of Louisville women's basketball coach Jeff Walz received an additional two years on his existing five year contract with UofL. The add-on extends his contract to coach the Lady Cards through the 2018-19season. Financial terms weren't made available.

Details are as follows. Coach Walz is under a rollover type of contract. This type of agreement means that the five year term automatically is renewed each year.

Jurich offered this to Coach Walz after the 2008-09 season, a season where Louisville was the national runners-up.

Walz's new contract adds a few perks. A retention bonus for staying at least four years and an additional bonus if he fulfills the entire length of the contract.

What it means for the University of Louisville women's basketball program is stability and security under the tutelage of one of the finest coaches in the nation.

He also stresses the academic excellence he expects out of each player who suits up for him.

It also, hopefully, puts an end to the rumors circulated last year that other universities might be in the hunt for Walz's services.

Walz is 119-56 in five years as the Cardinal women's basketball head coach.

Here at CARDINAL COUPLE, we're very excited to hear this news and it strengthens the concept that we believe Coach Walz is out to make a reality...to make Louisville women's basketball a contender on the national level year-in and year-out.

The man is tireless and relentless in his dedication and efforts to bring the best talent in high school to the University. He's got more frequent flyer miles than a lot of major corporations. His staff is stellar and, as a tribute to his teachings...two of his original assistant coaches here at Louisville are now head coaches of their own programs.

You don't waste good. You don't let good get away. You encourage good to keep getting better and you reward good.

Jeff Walz is good. The man wants to build a top-flight program here at Louisville.

Tom Jurich has signified that he's "all in" when it comes to that.

And, that...basketball fans...is fantastic news. In an era where coaches jump around like transient fleas in a kennel, Jeff Walz has indicated he is staying put.

And, why shouldn't he? Look at the athletic director he gets to work for. Look at the facility his team plays in.Look at the fan base that flocks to University of Louisville women's basketball games.

Louisville women's basketball is good. Very good. It's poised to become great. Reaching the status of a UConn, a Tennessee, in terms of national championships is possible...to borrow the words of legendary football coach Howard Schnellenberger:

"The only variable is time."

Jeff Walz has time to build his dream.

Charlie Strong and his coaches advise Cardinal football fans to "get on the train". We advise Louisville women's basketball fans to "get in the Yum, great things are going to come."

*******************************************

Did you watch the opening Olympic ceremonies last night? WE were with a few friends and members of 80 Under 80 last night and saw portions of it. The storms that rolled through Louisville Friday evening had the Dish TV signal down for periods of time.

The talented Ms. McCoughtry scored 13 points, had three steals and two blocks (at least) in a reserve role as the USA team pulled away under her guidance and won 81-56.

Yeah, I know. Basketball is a team game. No one player does it all on their own. McCoughtry's spark, enthusiasm and play...along with the other subs who entered the game with her...quellled and quieted the inspired Croats, though and USA is now 1-0 in pool play.

WE like Augustus, Big Syl, Angel, Harding and Maya Moore on the court together, Geno. They just may have saved your bacon today, pal.

IF I recall correctly, we were looking at UofL athletes that were competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Lotta swimmers in that group and our #35 Angel McCoughtry on the hardwood. Carlos Almedia and Pedro Oliveria are swimming for Portugal. Joao De Lucca for Spain and Eszter Povansky for Hungary.

Francisco Garcia and Edgar Sosa were trying to get there for the Dominican Republic men's basketball team but the D.R. failed to qualify. The only silver lining in this cloud is that we don't have to watch their coach (John Calipari) on the sidelines.

Over 5500 hours of the Olympics on NBC and their affiliates. That's the equal of watching 184 episodes ofSeinfeld.

Do you have a favorite Olympic event? We've got a poll on the left side of the side you can vote on.

I like the badminton events. Reminds me of when I won the inter-murals singles tournament in college.I was pretty ferocious with the shuttlecock and racquet.

(Insert your joke or wise guy comment here)

Of course, I also like the basketball, track, swimming...well, I like all of it. Except maybe for rifle events. Not a big gun enthusiast.

*******************************************

We had previously discussed the state, art and philosophy of recruiting here at CARDINAL COUPLE. Jenny did a bang up job on this Wednesday and we've had some great e-mails about it. Make sure and read her article if you missed it.

We also had some comments that I went in and deleted later.

Just for the record:

CARDINAL COUPLE is a website primarily dedicated to the joy and excitement of women's college sports at the University of Louisville from a fan's perspective. (Most of the time). We understand that some of our readers and fans are passionate about recruiting. We like to know who's a prospect to come to Louisville also.

What we won't tolerate is bashing, bad-mouthing and cynical, snarky comments about the program or possible additions to the program here. Feel free to e-mail those to us...but please keep them out of the comments section.

We appreciate you reading CARDINAL COUPLE. We're excited about the upcoming fall sports at UofL. Let's do what we can to promote the joy and excitement of womens' sports at UofL and stay away from the "Debbie Downer, Curtis Critical and Sammy Slammer" type of stuff.

Remember that coaches, players, recruits and parents read CARDINAL COUPLE. Let's express to them the great things about UofL, the coaches, staff, players and campus.

Finally, a very happy birthday to high school girls basketball superstar Mercedes Russell! We hope it's a GREAT one for you!

GO CARDS!

(I had Paul McCartney write and sing this song especially for her. OK...I really didn't...but it's a fun, little birthday ditty to get up and boogie to for a couple of minutes. Consider it a mini cardio-vascular workout.)

Stay seated, Asia...we want that hip to heal.

If it's your birthday today...first of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY and show your receipt to our CARDINAL COUPLE cashier when leaving to receive a free toothpick!

The video below was filmed in the KFC YUM! Center last night when word got out it was Mercedes' birthday.

(OK...that's not true, either..but wouldn't it be fun to have Paul McCartney come to the YUM?) Maybe for a WBB game.

Have a wunnerful Friday everyone and a "tip of the hat and wink" to CARDINAL COUPLE reader and my "bestest, little buddy" J.P....glad the surgery went well and you'll be tossing touchdown passes again in no time.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

(We thank you for your comments on the series of bull riding articles that Mark the Commish has been posting over the last two months. Today's final in the series covers ownership, bull-fighters, wrecks and girls.

Add a few chimps, beverages, bananas and Poobah and it sounds like a typical night around CARDINAL COUPLE Worldwide after Sonja and I have left for the day.)

Would you like to own a bull ? There is a new Turn-key ownership Program
sponsored by the PBR and American Bucking Bull Inc (ABBI) called the Back Seat
Buckers Program. If you have the money, you could own a competitive bucking
bull and become a Stock Contractor. Once you own the bull, the ABBI will do the
rest. They will house it, feed it, take care of it, train it , etc.

Basically, it is an auction and there are only 100 spots. To obtain a spot
(sold on a first come first served basis) in the auction one needs to cough up
$3500. An auction spot ensures the right to bid on a draft position at the Live
Draft and Back Seat Buckers Auction held at the PBR Iron Cowboy Invitational in
March 2013. A draft position will dictate when the buyer (contractor) will be
able to pick their bull(s).

Minimum bid for a draft position is $1000. Once the bull is bought, you
will need to fork over another $3600 to the ABBI for feeding and housing.

Here is how the competition works: There are 100 top-rated 2-year-old
Futurity bulls (plus alternates) in the program. They will be competing for
$500,000 in prize money this season. They’ll buck in four regular season events,
and at the World Finals in Las Vegas in November. These animals are still babies
and will buck only four seconds with a 25-pound weight aboard.

This years bulls will buck at 4 PBR BFTS events across the country and the
World Finals:

Event 1: Pueblo Invitational Pueblo, CO May 18-20, 2012

Event 2: Tulsa Invitational Tulsa, OK August 11, 2012

Event 3: Thackerville Thackerville, OK September 1 , 2012

Event 4: Springfield Springfield, MO September 15, 2012

Final Event: Las Vegas World Finals Las Vegas, NV October 23, 2012

Final Event: Top 5 Return Las Vegas, NV October 27, 2012

Here is a list of some famous people that bought bulls this year:John
Elway, Wayne Gretzky, Reggie Jackson, Bear Pascoe, Chad Ochocinco (who recently got married and changed his name back to Chad Johnson) and CBS
Sports' Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton. Thoroughbred trainer Bob Baffert and
Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens also got into the act. (they named their bull
Silverbulletday) He bucked May 19, 2012 and scored a 61. Didn't place in the
money. All the bulls are scheduled to buck again August 11.

If you got the "bucks" and want to buy a bull, here is all the info on the
program. Auction spots for 2013 are available August 1, 2012.

Sometimes during or after a ride things go wrong. A cowboy gets his hand
caught in his rope, or he may get stomped on by a bull. This is called a wreck.
When this happens, the ones who save the day are the Bull Fighters: A
bullfighter's job is to distract a bull when a bull rider either bucks off his
bull or dismounts after his eight-second ride. The distraction provided by the
bullfighter gives the rider a chance to get back to his feet and out of harm's
way.

Bull Fighters get hurt too. According to one of the top Bull
Fighters--Shorty Gorham: "Broke my shoulder, blew out my knee, broke a leg and
an ankle, broke ribs, broke arms, separated both shoulders and separated my
sternum … but it’s part of the deal. None of them are serious injuries. It’s
just a part of it. You gotta know that going in that there’s going to be some
broke bones. We’re like the Secret Service guys. If things are going well you
don’t notice us, but when things go bad, we’re there."

When there is a wreck, the Bull Fighter will usually save the day. Here is
a video of the top 10 Wrecks of 2010. There are some squeamish moments so watch
with caution. Due to some violent content...Parental Discretion is advised. As
bad as some of these wrecks are, all the Cowboys lived to tell about it.

One of my articles featured Women Bull Riders. One was about 13 year old
Tayler LaFlash of Plantersville, TX. Recently her Grandmother wrote Cardinal
Couple with more information about her and an update on her status:

"My Granddaughter is Tayler LaFlash and at age 9 she started riding the
mechanical bull at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. She did this for 2
years. At age 11 she entered the Grimes County Fair N Rodeo Steer Riding and won
her first buckle in 2009. That was her first time on a live animal. We are so
proud of her accomplishments and we stand behind her 100%. Good luck at World
Finals, Tayler. Ride Rank!!!!!"

Looking forward to seeing how her career develops. Hope to see her riding
in the PBR someday. I'm sure with her will and determination she will be a
success.

Kallie Kautzman

A female Bull Rider that missed being mentioned in the article was Kallie
Kautzman. I found out about her because her stepdad emailed Cardinal Couple and
mentioned she rode bulls as well. I did some research and here is her
story:

Kallie Kautzman is from Bismark, ND and has been on the Bull Riding Circuit
for about 5 years. She has won several prizes and events including the 2008
Little Bull Riders junior championship and 2009 Mandan Horse and Saddle
championship. Every event she has won was against Men---or should I say young
boys.....and I almost forgot to tell you---Kallie just turned 13.

What does Kallie think about competing against the boys? She says, "It
doesn`t feel natural being around all boys, not really a girl thing but it`s
okay." And what is in the sport for her besides prizes like trophies or Belt
Buckles? Well, as Kallie says,"You win money".

Kallie's stepdad who was brought up in Rodeo himself got her started in the
sport. Kallie was watching her brother ride a Bull and decided she wanted to
try as well. Turned out she was a natural and rode him pretty well. She has
been riding ever since.

It seems Kallie is going to hang up the Bull Rope when she turns 14 because
the Bulls get bigger and stronger. Have no fear--she will continue her Rodeo
career by concentrating on her true passion of Barrel Racing.

Best of luck in the future as well Kallie.

This concludes my series on "Everything you wanted to know about bull
riding but was afraid to ask". Although Bull Riding does not fit the profile of
"Cardinal Sports", since Paul gave writers free reign to write on any subject
they wished sports related, I chose Bull Riding because I knew about it, and
wanted to share with readers the different aspects of a sport that no one
would think that WOMEN participated in. I figured that most may not know much
about the sport and would be interested in learning something new. Even I
learned some new things about the sport researching the articles: I never knew
13 year old girls rode bulls. I know Bull Riding is not everyone's cup of tea,
but I never was a fan until I actually sat down and watched it on TV. Then I
attended two live events (Nashville and Chicago).

PBR viewers have an average household income of $66,000, and 40% are women;
70% own their own home; 53% attended college and 68% own a computer. The PBR has
more crossover with NASCAR and with the NFL than with rodeo. So, why not Cowboy
Up and take in a PBR event? You can watch it on TV or attend a live event. It
is really a family orientated event. Lots of things to do and see. And tickets
prices would fit into anyone's budget. Ticket prices range from $10, $25, $35,
$50, $75, and $100. Events usually last about 2 hours.

Note: The Touring Pro Division usually has a stop in Louisville each
year--they were here February 24-25 at Broadbent Arena. The Touring Pro events
don't have as many "bells and whistles" as the BFTS events but it is Bull Riding
with some of same bulls and riders that are on the BFTS Tour.

Commish Mark

( Mark will check back in from time to time with "bull updates". We've currently got him scheduled for women's sports duties and also to see if he can ride the offensive and defensive linemen on UofL's football team or guard Asia Taylor and Sara Hammond for eight seconds. Stay strong, Commish!)

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The first FLYING CARDINAL has been introduced by UofL Director of Social Media Nick Stover. His first episode includes guests we know and love here at Cardinal Couple...Howie Lindsey and Charlie Springer.

You can follow Nick on Twitter as well. We're checking into the legalities over contacting him and seeing if he'd like to challenge the Commish to a bull-riding contest or taking the staff chimps out for Bananas Foster and bowling.

RIGHT SIDE OF THE SITE

Welcome to the right side of the site. Over here, you'll find pictures, characters, chimps, notices, links and Italian sausage! We update stuff here every couple or weeks or so. Enjoy!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU! THANKS !!!

We asked you to help us in November by donating to Cardinal Couple. We thank you for your kind donations We're pretty close to where we want to be for funding the website for 2017. All donations appreciated!

POLL: Which of Louisville WBB's new players do you enjoy watching the most?

HANDICAPPING HEROES

Be sure to catch HANDICAPPING HEROES on Saturday...following THE CARDINAL COUPLE HOUR on WCHQ 100.9 FM starting at noon. We've lined up some of the best handicappers at Churchill Downs to give you their thoughts on the day's races. Moderated by Paulie, it's a fast-paced look at thoroughbred racing. Click the pic to take you to Crescent Hill Radio! The website (for now) is www.paulsykes.com

Paulie on LOUISVILLE FIRST

Howie Lindsey's critically acclaimed morning sports show can be heard Mon-Fri from 7-10 a.m. He brings Paulie in to discuss Louisville women's sports on Tuesdays during the 7-8 a.m. time slot on 790 CARDS RADIO WKRD. It's a honor and pleasure to talk about the joy and excitement of UofL's women student athletes with Howie. CLICK THE PIC TO GO TO THE STATION WEBSITE AND SEE WAYS TO LISTEN. .

JOIN THE TEAM AT CARDINAL COUPLE

We could use your support for 2016 here at CARDINAL COUPLE. We are a non-profit, so your donations qualify as a tax deduction. No amount is too small or too large. Send your checks to P.O. Box 91521 Louisville. KY 40291 or go to Pay Pal to help. Join our team for 2016 as we continue to strive at bringing you the daily joy and excitement of Louisville women's sports! There is a Pay-Pal link for donations under the microphone at the top of the page

Wissing Wealth Management

We are pleased to announce that WISSING WEALTH MANAGEMENT is a 2016 Corporate Underwriting Sponsor. Martin Wissing offers investment advice and more. Contact Marty for a free financial evaluation. For more information, click the logo to go directly to the WISSING WEALTH MANAGEMENT website.

Sportsmen's Supper Club of Louisville

Sportsmen's Supper Club of Louisville is an organization that meets monthly with the following objectives. Advancement of athletics in the community. Provision of a forum for the interchange of views and experiences in the field of athletics. Stimulation of fellowship and cooperation among those engaged in or interested in athletics. The club meets at the University Club on the UofL campus on the second Thursday of each month. There is a buffet and guest speaker at each meeting. Recent speakers include John Asher, John L. Smith, Jeff Walz, Jeff Brohm, Dan McDonnell, Scotty Davenport and Sandy Pearsall. For more information on joining Sportsmen's Supper Club, send your inquiries to loussclub@yahoo.com. We are proud to have Sportsmen's Supper Club as a sponsor of Cardinal Couple and invite you to check out this wonderful organization! CLICK THE CLUB LOGO to go to the Facebook page.

PAWS WITH PURPOSE

Founded in 2003, PAWS WITH PURPOSE is a non-profit organization that provides Assistance Dogs as partners to children and adults with physical disabilities or other special needs. These dogs provide comfort and companionship, help to break down social barriers and perform many skilled tasks which help their partners lead more independent lives. With the assistance of generous donors and dedicated/enthusiastic volunteers, PWP is committed to providing highly skilled service dogs at no charge to the recipients. Based in Louisville, PWP is proud to provide these highly trained compainions to individuals living in our area. To donate, volunteer or find out more about PWP...click the picture to go to their website. www.pawswithpurpose.org

Louisville WBB Schedule

2016-17 Louisville Women’s Basketball

NOVEMBER

Sun. 5 LINDSAY WILSON (exb.) W 97-50

Fri. 11 at UT Martin W 100-57

Sun. 13 BELMONT W 73-50

Wed. 16 at Middle Tennessee W 91-72

Sat. 19 BOWLING GREEN W 83-58

Sun. 20 LAFAYETTE W 92-48

Mon. 21 CHATTANOOGA W 63-47

Sun. 27 vs. South Carolina L 59-83

DECEMBER

Thurs. 1 MARYLAND L 72-78

Sun. 4 KENTUCKY W 69-67

Sun. 11 WESTERN KENTUCKY

Wed. 14 SOUTH DAKOTA ST.

Fri. 16 CHARLESTON

Sun. 18 EVANSVILLE

Wed. 21 at Vanderbilt

Thurs. 29 SYRACUSE

JANUARY

Mon. 2 at Duke

Thurs. 5 at Virginia

Sun. 8 PITTSBURGH

Thurs. 12 at Florida State

Sun. 15 MIAMI

Wed. 18 GEORGIA TECH

Sun. 22 at USF

Thurs. 26 at Clemson

Sun. 29 at Pittsburgh

FEBRUARY

Thurs. 2 NC STATE

Mon. 6 at Notre Dame

Thurs. 9 at Virginia Tech

Sun. 12 BOSTON COLLEGE

Sun. 19 NORTH CAROLINA

Thurs. 23 VIRGINIA

Sun. 26 at Wake Forest

MARCH

Wed-Sun. 1-5 ACC Tournament Conway, S.C.

We're still on the air! (Click the Mic)

Did you miss the latest installment of CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO on WCHQ 100.9 FM or Crescent Hill Radio? It's archived. Click the microphone to listen live or hear our archived broadcasts. Well, what are you still doing here? Go! Listen to the show! Or just listen to the station. Local music, locally produced talk shows and Cardinal women's sports!! Believe it or don't... but mama's lil' children on the radio and talkin'. Click the mic and give us a listen...

Follow us on Twitter

Paulie's Blog

Where Paulie looks at things other than UofL women's sports. Click the chimp pic to read them

THANK YOU

Thanks to you....Cardinal Couple has had an unprecedented year of readership growth. Please help us continue spreading the joy and excitement of UofL Women's Sports by donations for 2016. Pay Pal or check...no amount too large or small. There is a PayPal link for donations under the microphone at the top of the page.

SET THE SIGHTS ON 2016

We hope you'll remember Cardinal Couple in your 2016 donation sending. We are non-profit and do not charge you for "premium" information. We also bring you a radio show weekly and your kind contributions can keep that going in 2016. Thank you! There is a PayPal link under the microphone at the top of the page. Thank you.

E-MAIL US at: cardinalcouple@twc.com

It's OK...everyone else does. You can too! You'll receive a prompt reply from one of the staff champs after we print out your missive, cover it in banana pudding and Bill the Goat eats it !!

Feedjit Free Live Traffic Feed

Other sites we recommend you visit. (UofL sites marked with ***) Click on the name and away you go!

THE WALZIAN THEOREMS

Much like Leroy Jethro Gibbs of NCIS fame and his rules...Coach Jeff Walz has established several theorems on college basketball. THEORY I: Three is better than two. THEORY II: One and one = two. THEORY III: If you are open, there's a reason for that. THEORY IIII: Shooters are good, makers are better. THEORY V: If winning or losing isn't important, why keep score?

Timmy the Intern

Whether it's goldfish in the water cooler, golf carts in the corporate parking spots, donuts covered in ketchup or a self-serv banana smoothie station...Timmy keeps life interesting around the Cardinal Couple compound. Watch out for whoopie cushions! "Timmy! Report to my office IMMEDIATELY!" -- Sonja.

BILL THE GOAT

WITH the holiday season upon us...beware the BILLSTER crashing your get-togethers. Lock the doors and windows and post a guard by the trash cans.

The Return of MArkie MArk

MArkie MArk explains the mechanics of shooting a champagne cork to an amused Big Al and disinterested Paulie

The wisdom of Rodney...

I tell ya, I get no respect. I show up at the bar, I ask when Happy Hour starts and they tell me..."When you leave."

Corporate Chimp

We certainly encourage all our employees vote in the upcoming Presidential Election. Who you vote for is your decision, but we're offering pizza in the break room if you vote for our founder...J Fred Muggs...as a write-in.

Why certainly!

Our customer service representatives at Cardinal Couple Worldwide Enterprises ( A division of Don Paulie Enterprises and Bud Goode Marketing) benefited from the recent seminar they attended. At least they said they did. We have reason to believe they all ended up at Nick's Smoothie Bar for the day after the Opening Remarks....

Our mission statement:

CARDINAL COUPLE reports on UofL women's sports and athletics and attempts to do it from a fan's perspective. WE are not a official part or department of the University of Louisville, but they do give us a lot of help and information for our site. WE also cover local horse-racing, too. That's a passion WE both share nearly as strongly as going to Louisville athletic events. WE dedicate another website for that. www.paulsykes.com

WE are non-profit. Mom would have been so disappointed...

Any monies received via Pay-Pal or donation go solely to the defrayment of expenses incurred to keep the website and radio show in business. WE draw no salary.

Corporate sponsorships are available at low, low rates.

Yeah, WE'RE broke most of the time. It happens.

Our OFFICIAL motto here at CARDINAL COUPLE is from the legendary Satchel Paige:

"Don't look back..they may be gaining on you."

(WE ARE NOT a bird-watching site, 'swingers' site, information for Stanford University or any Catholic hierachy. WE don't even like "holier than thou" people much.)

WE are a lot of information and fun, though...and WE invite you to join us for daily update. No fees, no registration, no tracking or cookies (although WE like Macadamia Nut ones).

WE'LL never "spam" you but we'd be glad to sit down and have a spam sandwich with you. As long as you're buying.

What you'll find here are observations and comments on UofL women's sports with occasional other topics, sidebars, diversions and the wackiness that WE'RE known for. Enjoy!

Also, be advised that some of the sections on the right side of this site are parody and OUR sophomoric attempts at humor. Don't worry, WE'RE not quitting our day jobs...and Timmy the Intern isn't real or work for us...

The Surgeon General (or maybe he's just a Private) recommends 2 daily doses of CARDINAL COUPLE for better overall health and happiness. WE'RE smiling, how about you?

These are our principles and if you don't like them...well, WE'VE got others...

-Groucho Marx

A whop bop a lu la....whop bam boom~

(The above statements may not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of all the writers, columnists and sponsors that appear on this website. Eschew Obfuscation, we say. If WE listened to some of our readers and radio show listeners...WE'D concentrate solely on UofL WBB. )

.

-The management and staff of CARDINAL COUPLE-

About the owners

( Thanks to Kenny B. for this write up of CARDINAL COUPLE) --CARDINAL COUPLE is owned by Paul and Sonja Sykes. And this means? Started in DECEMBER 2009, this site is primarily dedicated to womens' athletics at UofL. Other stuff appears here also. Paul and Sonja are both employed in full time jobs not related to the site and run it as a hobby, passion and commitment to the 'joyous excitement that is Cardinal Womens' Athletics.' It isn't always easy, but they try to stay fresh, relevant and timely. Paul is in marketing, Sonja a public school employee. It's worth a daily read. With 5 writers and a cast of imaginary characters, CARDINAL COUPLE is unique as far as sports websites go. I tried to sit down with them for a more in-depth interview but Sonja refused to comment on the site other than noting "It's all Paul. I smile and grin a lot. That's important to know and I want that on the record in case the feds ever raid us." Paul refused to grant me an interview either, matter-of-factly telling me that he's holding out for an appearance on the Jon Stewart Show or Cake Wars. He also suggested I watch the movie "No Time For Sergeants" or the classic bit "Who's On First?" to gain a better insight and knowledge concerning his thought process. Regardless, I recommend CARDINAL COUPLE and give it four out of five stars. After all, it is women's sports. We dig Timmy the Intern and glad to see that William Frawley has resurfaced -- even if it's only in the mind of Paul. They provide links, have a comments section but no message board. You can find it at www.cardinalcouple.com and it is updated daily. Their liberal usage of pictures and photos helps break up the monotony of reading long stretches of print. Couple on, Cardinals!

About the photos...

CARDINAL COUPLE uses photos from all sources in the daily columns that we present to you. If we've used a photo you have taken and want published credit it for it...just contact us and we'll be glad to do so. Shoot, we might even write a feature article about you and call your Mom and tell her what a good son or daughter you are. WE avoid pictures that may be subject to copywrite. Our legal advisors are busy enough chasing ambulances and wheelchairs when they're not trying to figure out trifecta plays at Churchill. Some of the photos are actually taken by the staff of CARDINAL COUPLE. (When we can get the camera away from the chimps). Paul uses his cell phone to take pictures, too. You have been warned. Please realize that the captions that go with the photos are sometimes parodies. It's up to you to figure out which ones are and aren't. We can't spoon feed everything to you, you know... Congratulations if you made it this far in your reading! We know...reading stuff like this can be pretty boring but WE have to put it on the site somewhere so that we can say..."hey, there is disclaimer on the site" in case some bozo decides that they want to sue us or something. Like we have any money. We're so poor we can't even pay attention. We even owe bums money.

I was walking down this road once years ago and I saw this guy chopping down a tree. It was hot, the guy was really sweating and I stopped to watch a while. He finally took a break, cracked a can of beer and then asked me if I had a gun. I hesitated before answering but finally told him that I didn't. He said: "That's a darn shame. I'm cutting down this tree because it's my neighbor's and I'm really pissed off at him right now. I was going to just shoot his sorry a$$..but I decided to do this instead. I'm having second thoughts...though." Somtimes, there just aren't enough trees... (I've never chose that particular walking route since..) .

If I'd taken a picture of that guy working on that tree, I'd been glad to share it with the entire world. That's the way WE see other photos out there. Share 'em and create through exposure and appreciation. We provide credit to the photographer when we feel it's needed. We also pay our taxes on time...